Press Freedom Under Threat: The Arrest of Journalists and Media Raids in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia – It’s a troubling time for media freedom in Somalia. The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) has issued a strong condemnation of recent actions taken against journalists and media outlets in the country. On the 6th of June, police in Galkayo, Puntland, arrested two journalists, and just days earlier, the Jubbaland TV studio in Mogadishu was raided with its equipment confiscated.

On June 3rd, the scene at Jubbaland TV was one of chaos and dismay. Representatives from the Somali Ministry of Information reportedly confiscated “cameras, computers, and essential office supplies,” the lifeblood of any broadcasting operation. How does a studio function when its very tools of trade are taken away?

A journalist from the station shared with the SJS that the takeover was not just unwelcome; it was illegal. Jubbaland TV, owned by the state’s government, has been operating from a location within the Federal Ministry of Information’s premises. This stark intervention raises questions about authority and jurisdiction, intensifying an already fraught political atmosphere.

Since October 2024, a deep and unsettling constitutional conflict between Jubbaland and Somalia’s federal government has been simmering. It has seeped into elections, laws, and, ultimately, the streets, culminating in armed conflict in December. This dispute has left a tangible impact, even leading to the suspension of flights to various towns in Jubbaland. It’s a feud not just of politics, but of identity and governance, with real consequences for citizens and the media.

Fast forward to the morning of June 6th in Galkayo, where Mohamed Abdul Aziz, Director of Radio Galkayo, and freelance cameraman Ahmed Abdiqani Yusuf found themselves in police custody. Their crime? Being at the Awale Football Stadium for Eid-ul-Adha prayers—a gathering that saw local authorities and citizens in attendance.

Mohamed shared with SJS that he’d been aware of a likely protest by local youth—an initiative Radio Galkayo had spotlighted in previous reports. The growing discontent among the youth was palpable. They were young people seeking change in their city and challenging authorities on issues ranging from public sanitation to infrastructure development. Alas, the price of their voices was a night in detention.

Mohamed’s account reveals a startling anecdote: a phone call from Mudug Police Commissioner Mohamud Abdihakim shortly before his arrest. The message was clear—Radio Galkayo was to steer clear of the youth protests. Could this be a sheer attempt to stifle debate and manipulate narrative?

The Governor of the Mudug region, Faysal Sheikh Ali, later justified the police action. He painted the youth as agitators staging unauthorized rallies, aiming at criticism. They reportedly even had a microphone mounted on a vehicle. But was this really a threat or merely the drumbeat of democracy?

Radio Galkayo is more than just airwaves. It’s a community powerhouse and a longstanding voice in Puntland. The station has stood firm, describing the arrests as an illegal clampdown on freedom of speech and press. For over a month, the youth have been pushing back against multiple issues—blocked roads due to poor drainage, delayed airport construction, and a deeply contested road project.

The two journalists were released the following day, June 7th, with Mohamed confirming their release after an unsettling night at Galkayo North Police Station. But what does detention do to a free press and, indeed, to freedom itself?

Abdalle Mumin, Secretary-General of SJS, did not mince words. “The Somali Journalists Syndicate strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Radio Galkayo director Mohamed Abdul Aziz and freelance cameraman Ahmed Abdiqani Yusuf in Galkayo, as well as the unlawful raid and looting of Jubbaland TV’s studio in Mogadishu by officials from the Ministry of Information,” he declared.

“These actions,” he continued, “are not only illegal and abusive but a clear attempt to intimidate independent media and silence critical reporting. We call on both Puntland authorities and the federal government to immediately end the harassment of journalists, return the confiscated equipment, and respect press freedom as guaranteed by Somalia’s Provisional Constitution and international obligations.”

Freedom of the press is more than an ideal; it’s a barometer of freedom itself. In challenging times, it becomes crucial to ask: are we doing enough to stand by those who dare to hold power to account?

– SJS –

Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring